Spanish stars headline home Para triathlon World Cup

Dani Molina and Hector Catala Laparra among three world champions competing in Banyoles 06 Sep 2019

Vision impaired triathlon and his guide celebrate at the finish line

Spain’s Hector Catala Laparra was the surprise winner of the men's PTVI title in Lausanne, Switzerland

ⒸITU Media/Delly Carr

By Adam Bailey | For the IPC

After three gold medals at last week’s Para Triathlon World Championships, Spain’s athletes are aiming to continue their success on home soil at the Banyoles Para Triathlon World Cup on Sunday.

Dani Molina and Hector Catala Laparra were both victorious at last weekend’s Worlds, and the Spanish pair are back in action a week later at the fifth World Cup of 2019.

Catala Laparra will start as the one to beat in the men’s PTVI after securing victory at the Worlds for the first time – his second win of 2019 following gold at the Milan World Para Triathlon Series in April.

Ukraine’s Vasyl Zakrevskyi and France’s Arnaud Grandjean are likely to be Catala Laparra’s closest challengers.

Spanish success is guaranteed in the men’s PTS3 with world champion Molina going head-to-head with his compatriot Joaquin Carrasco, a week after claiming back-to-back world titles.

Phenomenal Parker

The Spanish pair are among six World Championship medallists set to start, including two in the women’s PTWC – newly-crowned world champion Lauren Parker of Australia and Germany’s bronze medallist Christiane Reppe.

Woman in racing chair crosses finish line tape — Lauren Parker has dominated the PTWC category

Parker – who claimed her first world title in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Sunday – has the chance of adding another gold medal to her rapidly increasing international medal haul. But she will face competition from Reppe, who finished third at her debut Worlds.

Reppe has already won a World Cup event this year with victory in Magog, Canada, in July, while double world champion Emily Tapp of Australia will be hoping to better her sixth-place finish in Lausanne.

Italy’s Alexandre Paviza is the highest ranked triathlete competing in the men’s PTWC; an event which also features Australia’s Nic Beveridge, who won at the season opening World Cup in Devonport, Australia.

More home favourites

Spain’s Lionel Morales (PTS2), Alejandro Sanchez Palomero (PTS4) and Jairo Ruiz Lopez (PTS5) will all be targeting home success in their respective events, with Sanchez Palomero and Ruiz Lopez finishing third and fourth at Lausanne 2019, respectively.

Italy’s Veronica Yoko Plebani has finished fourth in the last two events she has entered. But the Italian will be hopeful for a medal in the women’s PTS2, as will Japan’s Yukako Hata and the USA’s Melissa Stockwell.

female Para triathlete Mami Tani holds up the finish tape as she crosses the line — Mami Tani will try to bounce back from disappointment at the 2019 Worlds

In the women’s PTS4, a first win of 2019 is the target for Japan’s Mami Tani after Worlds disqualification. Australia’s Sally Pilbeam goes for a second World Cup win of 2019 in the same classification after success at the opening event in Devonport.

The US pair of Elizabeth Baker and Amy Dixon are likely to be the ones-to-watch in the women’s PTVI, while Ukraine’s Alisa Kolpakchy is the highest ranked triathlete in the women’s PTS5.

Full start lists for the Banyoles Para Triathlon World Cup can be found on the International Triathlon Union’s website.